An Original Inhabitant of Australia
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1-15 May 2018 My Notes…. NATIONAL ACCESSION TO THE PROTOCOL UNDER WHO The Union Cabinet Chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given approval to accede to the Protocol under World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on tobacco control to eliminate illicit trade in tobacco products. It will be applicable to both smoking and chewing or smokeless tobacco (SLT) forms as negotiated and adopted under Article 15 of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). India is a party to WHO FCTC. What 1. The protocol lays down obligations of the parties. It Background spells out supply chain control 1. The WHO Framework Convention on measures that must be adopted by Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) is the the parties viz. licensing of first international public health manufacture of tobacco products treaty negotiated under the auspices of and machinery for manufacturing the WHO. of tobacco products, due diligence 2. The objective of FCTC is to provide a to be kept by those engaged in framework for supply and demand production, tracking and tracing reduction measures for tobacco control regime, record keeping, security; at the national, regional and global and measures to be taken by levels. those engaged in e-commerce, 3. One of the key tobacco supply manufacturing in free-trade zones reduction strategies contained in and duty free sales. Article 15 of WHO FCTC envisages elimination of all forms of illicit trade 2. The protocol lists out offences, and tobacco products, including enforcement measures such as smuggling, illicit manufacturing and seizures and disposal of seized counterfeiting. products. It calls for international 4. Accordingly, the said Protocol was cooperation in information sharing, developed and adopted by the maintaining confidentiality, Conference of Parties (COP) which is training, technical assistance and the governing body of FCTC. The cooperation in scientific and protocol is divided into 10 parts and technical and technological contains 47 Articles. matters. Impact: 1. Elimination of illicit trade in tobacco products through strengthened regulation will help in strengthening comprehensive tobacco control, leading to reduction in tobacco use which in turn, will result in reduction in disease burden and mortality associated with tobacco use. 2. Accession to such treaty will provide actionable alternatives against such prevailing practices that are affecting public health at large. India, being at the forefront of tobacco control, would be able to influence the international organizations including World Custom Organization in controlling such illicit trade. 3. The protocol to eliminate illicit trade in tobacco products is a path breaking initiative in strengthening global action against tobacco and is also a new legal instrument in public health. It is a comprehensive tool to counter and eventually eliminate illicit trade in tobacco products and to strengthen legal dimensions for international health cooperation. DRAFT CAUVERY SCHEME SUBMITTED IN SC The Centre on 14 May 2018 submitted the draft Cauvery management scheme, to ensure smooth distribution of water between Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry, before the Supreme Court for its perusal and approval. 1 Page KSG – (DELHI VN) 9717380832, (DELHI RN) 9811293743, (JAIPUR) 8290800441, (BHOPAL) 7509975361, (PATNA) 7463950774, (DIBRUGARH) 7086708270, www.ksgindia.com 1-15 May 2018 What 1. The apex court said that it will not go into “correctness of the scheme” and rather confine itself to whether the scheme was in consonance with its February 16 judgment. 2. The apex court had on February 16 asked the Centre to formulate a scheme to ensure compliance of its judgment on the decades-old Cauvery dispute. 3. It had modified the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) award of 2007 and made it clear that it will not be extending time for this on any ground. 4. The top court had then raised the 270 tmcft share of Cauvery water for Karnataka by 14.75 tmcft and reduced Tamil Nadu’s share, while compensating it by allowing extraction of 10 tmcft groundwater from the river basin, saying the issue of drinking water has to be placed on a “higher pedestal”. NATIONAL WIND-SOLAR HYBRID POLICY Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has issued National Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy on 14 May 2018. The objective of the policy is to provide a framework for promotion of large grid connected wind-solar PV hybrid system for efficient utilization of transmission infrastructure and land. It also aims at reducing the variability in renewable power generation and achieving better grid stability. On technology front the Policy provides for integration of both the energy sources i.e. wind and solar at AC as well as DC level. The Policy also provides for flexibility in share of wind and solar components in hybrid project, subject to the condition that, rated power capacity of one resource be at least 25 per cent of the rated power capacity of other resource for it to be recognised hybrid project. What 1. The Policy seeks to promote new hybrid projects as well as hybridisation of existing wind/solar projects. The existing wind/solar projects can be hybridised with higher transmission capacity than the sanctioned one, subject to availability of margin in the existing transmission capacity. 2. The Policy provides for procurement of power from a hybrid project on tariff based transparent bidding process for which Government entities may invite bids. 3. Policy also permits use of battery storage in the hybrid project for optimising the output and further reduces the variability. It mandates the regulatory authorities to formulate necessary standards and regulations for wind-solar hybrid systems. 4. With significant capacity additions in renewables in recent years and with Hybrid Policy aiming at better utilisation of resources, it is envisaged that the Hybrid Policy will open-up a new area for availability of renewable power at competitive prices along with reduced variability. 2 Page KSG – (DELHI VN) 9717380832, (DELHI RN) 9811293743, (JAIPUR) 8290800441, (BHOPAL) 7509975361, (PATNA) 7463950774, (DIBRUGARH) 7086708270, www.ksgindia.com 1-15 May 2018 UNDP TO SET UP SKILL DEVELOPMENT CENTRE United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is going to set up skill development centre for clients of Bharosa, an integrated support centre for distressed women and children in Hyderabad, Telangana. This initiative is aimed at empowering vulnerable and marginalised women by imparting skills training. What 1. This centre will be set up in line with agreement signed between Hyderabad Police and UNDP under Disha project to build capacities and skills of women affected by violence to help make About UNDP them economically self-sufficient. 1. UNDP is United Nations’ global 2. The agreement extends support to development network. enable these women to learn 2. It advocates for change and connects marketable skills and connect with countries to knowledge, experience income opportunities. and resources to help people build 3. Bharosa is an initiative of better life. Hyderabad City Police launched in 3. It provides expert advice, training 2016. It is state-of-the-art centre to and grants support to developing support women and children who are countries with increasing emphasis victims of violence. on assistance to least developed 4. Under one roof, the centre provides countries. 24X7 services related to police, 4. It promotes technical and investment medical, legal, prosecution, psycho- cooperation among nations. therapeutic counselling and relief and 5. It is headquartered in New York rehabilitation services in completely City, US. private counselling rooms to maintain confidentiality and privacy. 5. It is equipped with well-trained staff and modern gadgets, including facilities like video conferencing, so victims need not go to the court. 6. Since its inception, it has helped total of 3,560 victims in range of problems. Of these over 2,600 sought aid with regard to domestic violence. 75 NATIONAL RESOURCE CENTRES NOTIFIED The Ministry of Human Resource Development has launched a major and unique initiative of online professional development of 1.5 million higher education faculty using the MOOCs platform SWAYAM. In the first phase, 75 discipline-specific National Resource Centres have been identified which are tasked to prepare online training material with focus on latest developments in the discipline, new & emerging trends, pedagogical improvements and methodologies for transacting revised curriculum. What 1. A varied set of institutions such as, Centres under the Ministry’s Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya National Mission on Teachers and Teaching (PMMMNMTT) located in Central Universities, IISc, IUCAA, IITs, IISERs, NITs, State Universities ; UGC’s Human Resource Development Centres( HRDCs), National Institutes for Technical Teachers Training (NITTTRs), IIITs, Open Universities have been notified as NRCs. 2. These NRCs cover wide ranging disciplines of Social Sciences, Sciences, Engineering and Technology, Design & Manufacturing, Humanities, Language Teaching, Commerce, Management, Education Planning and Administration, Public Policy, Leadership & Governance, Library & Information Science, Astronomy & Astrophysics, Assessment and Evaluation, Pedagogy and research methods , cutting edge areas of Nano-sciences, Internet of Things, etc. 3. Under this initiative, all in-service teachers, irrespective of their subject and seniority will have an enabling opportunity to